Page 84 of Not Home Alone

Grant’s expression is now one of annoyance. “What difference does it make?”

“I think you should talk to him about⁠—”

“That’s not how this works, Merrily.” He holds both of his hands up, like he’s putting up a wall against my words. “Not in my family. This isn’t about a little novelty shop that’s struggling because the owner believes in Christmas magic instead of bookkeeping. You can’t even imagine how much money is at stake. My father isn’t going to change his mind about his legacy just because we have a little fireside chat about feelings on Christmas Eve, okay?”

Wow. That stings. My heart doesn’t hurt anymore so much as I feel numb.

I can’t believe he’s pushing me away again.

Or maybe I can.

Taking a step back, I give him two thumbs up. “Got it. You didn’t ask for my advice, so I’ll let you deal with it your way. Alone.” I turn to go to the guest room.

“Merrily, I didn’t mean to⁠—”

“I know. You’re right. I’ve got a big day tomorrow, so I’ll sleep in my room.”

“Merrily…”

“I’m not mad! I get it. Good night.”

I shut the door behind myself, and I don’t hear him coming after me. Why would he? We already had our climax. Now our drama just has to end.

TWENTY-EIGHT

GRANT

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m going to miss you, and I wish I could take you with me.”

I’m met with cold, uncaring eyes. Because they’re painted. On Ronald the Reindeer’s creepy face.

It’s just him and me in this house today. Merrily left for her dad’s house first thing this morning. She saw me packing up my suitcase and just nodded, like Yeah, that’s what I thought. I didn’t have to tell her she’d finally have the Home Alone House to herself. She understood what was happening.

“It’s better for both of us if I go home to my apartment in New York and let her enjoy The Notcracker without having to come back here to me and my moody face,” I tell Ronald. He probably thinks I’m drunk, but I’m not. I’m as sober as I’ve ever been. As rational as I could be in this situation. “What’s that?” I press my ear up against Ronald’s porcelain snout. “How dare you, Ronald. I’m not running away from anyone or anything. I’m calmly backing away for Merrily’s sake.”

My dad sent me an email this morning, asking me once again if I’ve made a decision. I told him I have, but I’m going to tell him in person tonight. At his house, on my way to the airport. He shocked me by writing back to tell me he was planning to attend The Notcracker “for the optics,” so it would have to be after that. I couldn’t tell if he meant he was going to show support for my girlfriend, or to make it look like he actually cared about this community. I suppose I hope he meant both, even though Merrily isn’t my fake girlfriend anymore.

I clutch at my heart and get up off the living room floor. I can’t be the guy who sits on floors and talks to creepy porcelain reindeer statues about his fake ex-girlfriend. Or is she my ex fake girlfriend? Or should I just refer to her as the love of my life who got away.

“Don’t look at me like that, Ronald,” I mumble from the comfort of an armchair. “She left me first. This isn’t like ten years ago. When Merrily got through to me. When something happened between us that night that was real enough to cause me to panic. Yeah, I blew things up. Not to hurt her. Because if Merrily hated me, she’d never leave me. I chose the ending before she could. I was eighteen, okay? I was just a scared kid in a nearly grown man’s body, burning down something beautiful because I didn’t know how to hold it.”

I narrow my eyes at Ronald. He is such a shrewd little bastard. “You don’t know me.” I cross my arms and huff. “And Merrily doesn’t know my dad.”

Ronald’s silence is so damn judge-y.

“Okay, yes. My dad said he thought I’d want to get away from this place. That’s why he said he was moving HQ to New York. I loved it here, Ronald. Loved it. When my mom was alive. And I think my dad did too, back then. Is he trying to run from grief, Ronald? Is he afraid that once he’s retired, he’ll have no choice but to deal with life without her in Holly Grove? Because he already abandoned me by becoming a workaholic when Mom died. But maybe… maybe Merrily’s right. Maybe he thinks he’s making it easier for both of us. Maybe he needs to know that I want to be here now. And why.”

I rise to my feet.

“Damn you, Ronald. You’re right. I do deserve love. That whole fake dating plot forced me to rehearse the exact commitment I’ve been running from ever since I was ten. And I did it in public. And in private. But I became the man I need to be to deserve Merrily Tucker.” I grab Ronald’s cold, hard face and kiss it. “You’re a genius, you ugly, porcelain creep. Merry Christmas.”

I pull out my phone to text Merrily to let her know I’m coming to watch the show. As I do, I get a call from Wyatt’s assistant. I had let Wyatt know unofficially that I was planning to accept the CEO position, so she’s probably going to ask something about the contracts. It would be just like Wyatt to make her call me at six-fifteen on Christmas Eve.

“This is Grant,” I say when I answer.

“Oh, thank god! Hi! It’s Joy. From Wyatt Finch’s office.”

“I know. Hi.”